The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-07-23
HEAVY STORMS.
Iutanse Heat Followed by a Succession Of
Destructive Storms.


Destructive Storms
Saturday, July 16. 1887, will long be re-
membered as the '.Hot Saturday." by resi-
dents of this community. The morning opent
ed sultry and the mercury ranged from 96o u
1902 in the shade, according to location.
Sunday, the 18th, was also very warm. AZ 6
a. M, the atmosphere was very oppressive
and many persons left their sleeping apart
ments before o'clock in order to find relief.
Between and 4 in the afternoon there was a
severe thunder storm, accompanied with hail,
which cooled the atmosphere slightly. About
D. M. another gust passed over this section,
but the night was close. Monday morning
the mercury began to climb up rapidly, apd
at 10 O'Clock indicated 90o. By noon As7ery
living thing was sweltering and at PA the
mercury had gone up to 99o, degree5f heat
rarely experienced in this section, in protect
ed quarters. In exposed places thsmercury
RANGED from l25 to 1852 A slight relief came
about p. IN. in strong wind which swept
down Main street, followed shortly BY heavy
rain, then another between and and still
another about 9. The electrical display was
terrific and caused the stoutest hearts to quale
with fear as flash after flash came, followed
by the most deafening peals Of thunder.
About a. m. on Tuesday our citizens were
awakened by terrible wind storm which
seemed to fall upon the roofs and caused
dwellings to tremble and shake as if by an
earthquake, windows were lurriedly closed
and the confined air became Sitting. Light.
ming flashed and the rain fell IN torrentsJ the
streets being filled from side walk to side Talk,
large trees swayed and beng Ike reeds, Water
SHOUTS were unable to carr. of the deluEe and
the rain poured over the caves in sheets. AT
| 7 a. m. the mercury was down to 100 a4d some
relief came The weather moderated consid-
erably on Wednesday and has been quite
pleasant since.
Lightning struck in apotato patch of Thos.
Smith, near Smallwood, on Sunday Afternoon.
The vines were torn up and the potatoes for
40 feet around were scattered. The potatoes
had the appearance ef having b In frozen and
then thawed. ~
were twisted, broken and tory is by the roots
on Monday. Mr. Roop was (all day Tuesday
clearing up the debris in lawn. Several
large oak trees were entir&y uprooted, and
an immense amount of egfth was torn up by
There was som hail wi h the rains on Sun.
day and Monday, and the heavy rains, violent
wind and sharp lightning did considerable
damage. On naday tie rain came down in
torrents. Try s.es and the growing corn
along its Gov iown down and dam
aged cOnSlQe 10 large trees at
Mills STATIC Moss the railroad track,
breaking Il hph wires and OBTAINING
the trains. edge of town portion oil
the roof % bla Of the barn of Wesley
On the 6f Jacob Myerly. near town,
on the Ii road, ventilator was blown
off the b. = lightning rod was bent and
the wagd and coA crib, built last fall,
was bid d nom the foundation blocks and
moved eight fegt. IT was considerably dam
aged. The Large willow tree at the gate,
which measu4ed 1Og feet in circumference,
was blown oF the front porch of the house,
and demolis&ed the top of the porch. A
limb of thStree scraped down the house and
tore hoZin the building and struck high
bedstead knowing it ten inches. A part OF
the chimney, the cornice, spout and weather
boarding were damaged.
Il L. Gadhill's barn, north of town, was blown
over And scattered all over the field. The
rafteys on the new portion of the Western
MARYLAND College were blown off, also the two
chimneys and portion of the tin roof of the
main building. On one corner of the Reform
ed Church a final, fifteen feet high, was
blown off, breaking large memorial window:
The barn of George Lamotte, at the east end
of the city, was struck in two places. AL!
along the streets trees were blown down and
several chimney, of private houses blown off.
The storm seemed heaviest at the west end Of
town, but did some damage all through,
twisting large limbs of trees off as if they
were twigs and filling the air with leaves.
The telephone wires were also damaged IN sew
eral places.
Krider's Church, about mile north Of
Westminster, was badly wrecked. About ter
feet of the roof at the rear was blown off, and
the rafters fell in, doing considerable damage
to the interior. The roof was broken in the
centre, and the parts were carried across each
other and went in opposite directions about
100 yards away from the building. One part
struck in the cemetery and broke of twelve
tombstones. 1t scraped along the ground and
lodged against the fence. The other was
carried into cornfield. The front and real
walls are compressed in about six inches,
and one of the side walls is pressed out about
the same distance. 1t is the opinion of sew.
eral who have examined the building that II
will have to be torn down and rebuilt.
The house of Isaac Bear, on Liberty street
was struck, knocking the chimney off even
with the roof, and tearing large hole in the
roof and scattering the furniture around the
rooms. Two trees were struck by lightning
in Westminster Cemetery, and the store o.
| L. Mackly, at the East End, was also struck
During the storm early on Monday morning
the lightning struck the house of Clarence
Mobley, at the gas-house, tearing the chin
ney and roof and SCATTERING the rafters, also
knocking Mr.. Mobley and one of his daugh
tiers from their beds. A large oak tree OF
the st. Johns Church property, was struck
on Monday evening. Harry Snadly's house
at Frizelsburg, was also struck by lightning
On Monday evening lightning struck hay
barrack on the farm of Simon Shaffer il
Cranberry Valley, tearing off several boards
and splitting post. A large tree at DAME
Reese's gate, on the adjoining farm, was also
struck. At William Luckabaugh's, near the
city, cow was killed by lightning. :,
Reports from other parts of the county viii
be found among the regular news letters from
our several correspondents.